Eldritch Rites
by DarkPatu
Summary: An unholy power has been unleashed on the world, a being that has not been seen in an age.  Is the Hellsing organization up to the challenge, or has the last defense of the world from the terrors of the dark met its match?
1. An Ill Wind Burns Brightly

Eldritch Rites

Chapter 1

**An Ill Wind Burns Brightly**

_All copyrights, characters, settings and official locations are owned by Pioneer and not the author_

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><p>A black, unmarked van pulled to a slow and easy stop outside a dilapidated cottage along a rarely traveled road about three hours outside of Telford, England. The back doors opened on well-oiled hinges and a brace of men climbed out, kitted up in high-necked Kevlar vests, heavy jumpsuits and riot helmets.<p>

With quick, practiced movements they checked their equipment, double-checking their side arms and primary, patting down their pockets and making sure their spare clips were in easy access. Their heavy boots made little sound on the dew-dampened grass as they lined up outside of the vehicle, weapons shouldered but ready.

The squad leader stepped down from the back of the van, the embroidered tag below the black and red kite-shield badge on his shoulder read 'S. Thompson'. He unzipped his vest and pulled out a thin gold chain with a locket attached. Briefly, he flicked it open, a photograph of his late daughter inside showing her clutching her favorite stuffed rabbit close to her as she smiled happily.

He felt his lips twitch into a tight smile before his expression grew cold. He jerked his hand up and held up two fingers, making a quick circle as he zipped his vest back up, tightening the Velcro straps. His squad spread out and took up positions around the house, the men and women moving like shadows in the almost palpable darkness.

Thompson checked his weapon; a standard issue blackened steel MP-5, the bolt sliding home with oiled ease as he loaded a bullet in the chamber. The squad moved with slow, controlled ease born from years of experience, a swelling of pride warming his heart as he watched them. Within moments the cottage was surrounded, all points of egress covered by no less than three members of the silencing team.

Katherine Winters, known as 'Snow Kat' to the rest of the squad, lifted her visor and shot a glance at her leader, and the two exchanged a knowing look. With a brief nod from Thompson, Kat dropped her visor, snapping her fingers and pointing to the two men on either side of her. She clenched her fist violently and made a sweeping motion, silently telling them that it was time. Within moments the silent code had made its way around the house and the air of tension that drifted like a cloud over the squad suddenly became a pinpoint of focus.

As one they converged on the cottage, working swiftly to strike, preparing to break in windows and bring the unholy beasts within to God's grace. As the first blow fell against glass the front door burst open, a pale, slender young man in dark makeup stumbling out, gasping and panting as the music of tinkling glass echoed into the empty night. His gaping mouth showed a pair of extended fangs, his face glistened with tears and mucus as he rushed out into the chilly night.

He sobbed for breath as he half-ran, half fell down the stone path, his dark makeup running down his cheeks as he chanted something under his breath, repeating it with each ragged inhale of air. "I didn't know, I didn't know, I didn't know, I didn't…" The words flowed together in a mad, panicked rush.

The closest members of the squad opened fire, unleashing a hailstorm of bullets onto the youth, silvered bullets tearing holes in his flesh as he jerked and twitched in the gunfire, still forcing himself down the path. The lower half of his right arm was blown away in a shower of gore and his kneecaps shattered inward as a burst of screaming bullets swept across his legs. In the deadly rain he collapsed, his legs bending in the wrong direction with a sickening grinding noise.

Gritting pointed teeth, the darkly dressed young man used his one good arm to drag and pull himself along, still chanting his shuddering, gasping mantra. "I didn't know…I didn't know...I didn't know…"

Thompson moved to stand over him and shouldered his primary and slipped his sidearm from its holster. He cocked his .45 caliber service pistol, aiming down the bead directly at the youth's head. _'I do this for God…I do this for you…Elsie…Never again…´ _

With a grunt of effort, the pale young man turned himself over with his remaining arm, chest heaving as he looked up at the squad leader, black mascara trails webbing over his cheeks. "I didn't…I didn't…I…I'm sorry."

The shot echoed out through the night, bouncing back to wash over the squad several times before dying out into the night. "In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation. Amen." Thompson's gravelly voice spurred the squad to repeat the prayer as he let out a sigh and holstered his gun, the young vampire reduced to whispering ash, floating away on the night breeze.

"Everyone, let's round up. This situation is neutralized." The tense feeling in the men drained away as they gathered together, heading back toward the van.

With a sudden rumbling the ground shook, throwing some of the squad members to their knees as a thunderous explosion sounding within the house. A terrible light shone out through the windows as the foundation shook, the sound of splintering timbers echoing the gunshot. With a sound like the crash of thunder, arched supports of the ceiling snapped in a line, causing the roof to buckle and fall with a resounding crash into the house.

Pulling back to their feet and coughing as dust and debris filled the air, the warriors of the Hellsing organization readied their primary arms, snapping their MP-5's to their shoulders and flicking the safeties off.

The light from within the cottage grew stronger, flickering and turning the small portion of Telford from night to day. "Steady men…" Thompson intoned, aiming his own firearm towards the light, unable to keep the slight quiver of fear from his voice. In his brief relief he had partially unzipped his Kevlar vest, the golden locket now glistening in the dancing radiance.

An unholy voice began tumbling out of the open door, a dark, oily sound that seemed to soil the very air in its speaking. The words were in a tongue unheard on this green earth in millennia, and while not understood by the men present, spoke to something deeply seeded in their bones. The chilling, arcane jumble of syllables and phonetics told them without a single doubt; you shall die.

The inhuman voice rose to a crescendo, sounding like gravel and broken glass being tossed together in a burning crucible. The paneled siding of the cottage began to smolder and curl as flames licked at the inner walls of the cottage, leaping up past where the roof once sat to dance against the night sky.

With a clatter one of the men threw his gun to the ground and turned to run shrieking into the forest as the voice rose to a deafening roar. Swallowing hard the remaining officers stood their ground, the front of a jumpsuit or two darkening slightly as fear ripped through their bodies, their firearms weaving erratically as even the hardest of the squad felt bile rise in his gullet and cold, stinking sweat break out over his skin.

"Engage!" Thompson barked to the squad, squeezing his trigger as his obedient cadre unleashed hell on the house, attacking from all sides.

Silvered bullets blew holes through wood, siding and insulation, exploding into the cottage like some deranged fireworks display. A soul shattering laugh echoed into the night as the windows of the cottage exploded outwards, flames streaming up past the walls to waltz their destructive glory through the darkness. The inferno swelled to engulf and blacken the lawn, blowing the walls of the house outwards as a column of fire burst upwards and into the night sky, looking nothing less than an order of damnation from the heavens.

The last thing the Thompson and his squad knew before light and heat enveloped them was shadow and flames, and the certain knowledge that their God could not help them now.


	2. What Darkness Lurks

Eldritch Rites

Chapter 2

What Darkness Lurks

_All characters, settings, and copyrights are the property of Pioneer and not the author_

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><p>The small plastic projector sat on a raised dais positioned behind the seated woman, its light casting the darkened room into stark shadows and further sharpening her already severe facial features. She observed the hanging screen over steepled fingers, her half smoked panatella smoldering in the crystal tray sitting on the table before her.<p>

An older man dressed in an olive colored military uniform stood stiffly to one side of the dais, a small remote in his hand. "Here we have the original footage of the creature in question. The date of observation was November twenty-first, the year 2007 of our Lord."

The screen flickered to life, a grainy, night-vision green film showing the slender young man in the distance. As the camera shakily zoomed in it became clear that he was dragging the body of a woman behind him. The woman couldn't have been more than seventeen or eighteen, slim and youthful. A dark patch began at her neck and had covered the front of her blouse. As she was dragged over a small hillock, she moved feebly before she fell still once more.

"Additional data has been submitted as evidence of course," the grey haired military man pressed a button on the remote, changing the pictures. The images flashed across the screen, a blurred traffic camera photograph showing the young man, blood caked around his mouth, his eyes wild and amber. Another, an image of the dilapidated cottage showing a pair of darkly shining eyes looking out through one of the dingy windows. "We also have performed a full chemical analysis on the soil surrounding the cottage and found evidence of vampiric corruption."

"What of the house? What happened there?" The stern woman's words were cold, not unfeeling, but as if ice dripped from every syllable.

"These photographs were taken after the incident." Another click from the remote and the screen showed the blackened ruin that was the cottage. The front lawn was scorched in a starburst, the edge of the blossom reaching easily a dozen meters from the house. The surrounding trees were denuded of their leaves, leaving their bare branches charred into brittle ebony twigs.

Timbers and joists stood at odd angles, the walls of the house blown open to reveal a charred wooden skeleton. "The only area that did not receive damage was a portion of the basement." He clicked again, the image showing a circle of stone floor, untouched by the flame, but bearing odd markings.

A second photograph showed the markings in greater detail, a large circle, possibly six feet in diameter had been drawn on the stone. It contained a maze of overlapping lines that created an expanding cloud of multi-pointed stars each with a second circle at its center. Jagged symbols, possibly words, edged the outer perimeter of the stars and filled the smaller, inner circles in a spiral pattern. The whole elaborate diagram appeared to have been drawn in dark paint with portions of it scuffed and flaking slightly.

"After a sampling of the pigment was taken and tested we have determined that is was a composition of sulfur, guano, charcoal and human blood." Another image flickered onto the screen, showing the shroud covered bodies of dozens of people stacked like cordwood against one of the blown out walls of the basement. "The blood was drained from women exclusively, their ages ranging from seven to thirty-four."

"What happened to the men?"

"Reduced to ash and slag I'm afraid. All equipment was unrecognizable and the bodies appeared to be vaporized by the heat, "he set the remote down and turned off the projector then moved to the far wall and flipped on the light switch. "I'm afraid the one operative who did survive is completely unstable. He has been restrained and put into a psychiatric ward for observation." He shook his head as he sat down across the table from the corn-silk haired woman.

"I'm afraid he has had a complete breakdown and will not be fit for duty at any time in the near present." He opened an expanding case and pulled out a manila folder, sliding it across the glossy wood of the table. "We've only had a few hours to talk to him, but it is all there. His ramblings made hardly any sense but seemed to be centered on fire and demons. There was one thing he said however that was more coherent than the rest."

He cleared his throat and opened the folder to pull out a sheet of text. He ran his finger down the page and stopped, reading aloud. " 'The shadows, they come from within, no running, no hiding. I can feel them in my eyes and when I see they see too. It is coming.' " He set the sheet flat on the table and clasped his large hands in front of him. "Sir Integra, I'm afraid I do not know what we are dealing with here, but I do know that it is dangerous. Eight men sir, we lost eight men this night."

"I am well aware of our losses. Distribute their service medals and benefits to any kin and prepare the services. What has our research shown on the symbols?"

"The results are not back as of yet, but the team is working diligently to find an answer." He swallowed hard, looking the regal woman before him in the eye. "However on first inspection of the images, our researchers believe these symbols to be tied to a summoning ritual."

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><p>Seras opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling of her chamber, feeling the sun set approaching like a wave pulling back from the world. She sighed, turning over on her bed to look at the fresh pouch of blood sitting in its bowl of ice on her nightstand.<p>

She sat up, feeling completely unrested and ill at ease. She took the blood from the ice, leaving it to fall into hollow noisily. Once she would have used a bowl and set a place for herself at the table, but no longer was that necessary. She pierced the tube and gently sucked, drinking down the thick crimson fluid as she dusted herself off, sweeping the light patina of dirt from her back.

The door opened and the familiar, wrinkled face of Walter appeared. "Ah, Miss Victoria. I'm glad you are up. Please, Sir Integra and Master Alucard await you in the dining hall." He looked at her lazily suckling on the pouch. "Feel free to bring that with you."

She nodded, deciding to put the pouch back into its bowl of ice, wiping her mouth with a napkin from her small wooden table and moved to follow the elderly butler. Their footsteps echoed through the hollow passageways leading up to the main floor.

Within a few minutes they arrived in the dining hall, Sir Integra Hellsing sitting at the head of the long table, a folder at her elbow. Alucard stood a few paces behind his Mistress, his hands hanging at his sides. His usual red great coat and wide brimmed hat had been replaced by a black, front-buckled shirt and black pants, his shining ebony hair hanging over his face to covering half of it from view. "Seras…" He intoned.

"Master." She bowed her head to him, even after all this time his presence sent a chill shiver running up her spine. She knew who he was, not the subservient creature he showed himself to be, but who he really was. She had seen his battles without his self-imposed limiters, and despite her growing strength he still terrified her. She settled herself, standing up straight. "You wished to see me, Sir Integra?"

The regal woman nodded slightly, a brief dip of her head that made her straight hair bob. "Yes. There has been an incident. A routine cleaning has proven to be more troublesome than first anticipated. From what information we have garnered, the foe is not a vampire or ghoul of any sort."

She opened the folder, spreading the glossy pictures within with a slender hand. Seras leaned over the table, looking them over, her breath catching as she saw the immolated house, the shroud covered corpses and the dark symbols on the floor. "Not a vampire? Then what is it?"

Sir Integra cleared her throat before shaking her head slightly. "We do not know." She slipped the photographs back into the folder, closing it and folding her hands over the stiff material. "You are charged with finding out all you can concerning this situation, and disposing of this creature, whatever it may be." She slid the folder over to the young vampire and glanced over her shoulder to Alucard.

"We have a member of the strike force sent to silence the target in the psychiatric ward. You will…interrogate him and find out what he knows about this new foe." She swallowed hard and then let out a soft sigh. "Release control art restriction level one." She intoned turning to face straight ahead. Behind her, the dark-haired man faded into the shadows, only a glimmering crimson eye remaining before closing and disappearing completely.

Sir Integra looked sternly up at Seras, quirking her eyebrow. "You have your assignment, so may I ask what you are still doing standing here?"

Seras jumped slightly, as she had been staring at where Alucard disappeared and snapped a salute. "My apologies, Sir Integra." She clicked her heels together and turned, walking out of the room, the folder tucked under her arm.

Integra's sapphire eyes followed the young vampire out of the room, her mind racing with anxiety and strangely enough, fear. It had been quite some time since the Hellsing organization had faced something they could not classify, something they had not seen before. The very idea chilled her bones and caused an involuntary shiver to run through her.

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><p>The psychiatric ward was painted a dull cream color and florescent lights hummed every few feet, chasing away the shadows down the bright corridor. LT. Erik T. Begsben lay strapped to a bed in room 14A, crisp white sheets pulled up to his chin as he slept fitfully. Sweat streamed down his face, matting his short-cropped black hair wetly against his forehead. His skin shone a pasty pale and deep, shadowy bags hung under his eyes.<p>

The shadows in the corner of his dimly lit room seemed to grow darker, thicker for a moment. From this hollow of night stepped Alucard, his ebony hair swinging slowly over his face. Slipping to the young mans' bedside, the master vampire laid a gloved hand over his face, making his already disturbed rest grow more agitated. As shadows drifted slowly down from Alucards' hand to cover the man's face he began to struggle, straining against his restraints, his mouth open in a silent cry.

In a moment it was over, LT. Erik laying peacefully in his bed, sleeping easy as Alucard closed his eyes and slipped into the man's troubled dreams. He found himself on that grassy lawn, his vision blurred around the edges as he relived the moments a few hours earlier. He watched as the squad engaged the building and silenced the youth, a whelp of a vampire at best. Alucard felt tremor that followed the final blow and finally the flare of light and rush of heat.

In slow motion he saw the fire blossom out, flinging pieces of charred, smoldering wood through and past him as he floated unhindered through the scene.

He saw Lt. Erik bolt, running like a startled rabbit through the woods, but continued walking towards the ever-growing flame. What was this creature that could summon fire so freely? Through the flames he saw shadows rising, something that was coming through the fire. Curious, he drew closer, knowing he could come to no harm in this dream world.

With unimaginable speed, a shadow detached itself from the flames and wrapped around Alucards throat, closing off his airway. Startled, his eyes grew wide and his hands grasped the undulating tentacle of greasy smoke. More smoke flowed forth from the flower of heat, coalescing into a form that stood before him, slender and feminine.

The oily black smoke slowly folded back, revealing a pale blue face with thin, lizard-like lips and bottomless black slits for eyes. A lock of lank, black hair hung over one side of its face and a slow, pleased smirk oozed out from its mouth to reach ear to ear. In a garbled, ear-splitting tongue it spoke, the words themselves meaningless, but their intent perfectly clear.

Summoning all of his willpower, Alucard retracted himself, clawing his way out of the dream-state and back into his body. He snapped awake just in time to watch LT. Erik T. Begsben arch up from his hospital bed, his eyes wide in pain and terror as the restraints holding him snapped like threads.

Slowly his eyes flooded with inky blackness and a terrible grin split his face, the flesh of his cheeks tearing as his muscles pulled beyond their normal capacity. Fresh, hot blood streamed steaming down his cheeks as a bloom of red shone through the crisp sheets over the young mans' chest. Choking on his own blood, what once was Lt. Erik coughed out a booming laugh, spraying a fine mist of red as shadowy talons, tinged with flickering orange, pierced the bed sheet, protruding through his chest.

With a terrible crunching rip, the claws dug in and pulled apart, making Lt. Erik's body flop and twitch in its death throes, the sheets in tatters, the poor young man's chest opened like a book. Blood and viscera spilled to the floor in a wet torrent, his steaming entrails slipping free to coil against the cold tiled floor. With a whisper of smoke and an echoing, ethereal laugh, the shadowy arms slipped back down through the eviscerated body, the inky blackness fading from the corpse's eyes.

Stepping away from the body, Alucard felt something grip coldly at his dead heart, something he had not known since before the age of man.

Fear.


	3. And Hell Followed With Him

Eldritch Rites

Chapter 3

And Hell Followed With Him

_All characters, settings, and copyrights are property of Funimation and not the Author_

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><p>A cleanup crew had tossed a thick, laminated white sheet over the jagged, opened remains of Lt. Erik T. Begsben. His steaming, blood encrusted innards had been scooped into a black zippered bag and the white-walled room was quietly being scrubbed of the copious splatters of dark dried blood. Sir Integra Wingates Fairbrook Hellsing stood in the doorway, Walter standing behind her as her ever-present shadow.<p>

"Terrible way to go, mum." He sighed and adjusted his monocle. "It seemed as though he was opened from the inside, however. Most peculiar…" He moved back and allowed Sir Integra to step out into the hallway where Alucard stood like a shadowy monolith against the pale-painted walls.

"What did you find?" Her words fell like tombstones in an empty crypt.

Alucards' face split in a wide grin, his pointed teeth gleaming in the florescent lighting. "It really is terribly exciting…" He gave a little chuckle as his Master shot him an annoyed look. "I don't know exactly what we're up against, and whatever it was it could manipulate that poor human through his memories."

He tilted his head to the side, letting his long hair fall like an ebony cascade down half of his face. "I was in his mind, looking back at what happened this night and somehow this monster sensed it and was able to attack me through his mind from afar…Most impressive…" Alucard gestured dismissively towards the room, the stench of old blood already pervading the hallway. "It was even able to possess his body and kill him from within. Such terrible power indeed…"

"You sound as if you admire this fiend, Alucard." Sir Integra chided, walking past the looming vampire at a steady clip. "Hopefully Seras had found something useful…" She stopped suddenly as Alucard stepped in front of her, blocking her path.

"Master, I do not think you understand. This is no ordinary creature, and I shiver with anticipation to think that I might come face to face with it. Long have I awaited the time that another monster like myself might walk this world, something that may be able to provide for me a beautiful death…" He let out an almost longing sigh, looking down at his regal Master, his vermillion eyes alight with excitement.

"A beautiful death? What do you mean Alucard?" She stared up at him, her brow furrowed.

"Master, I have served you faithfully for many years, and your family for generations, locked though I was in that cell…" He spread his hands before himself, grinning devilishly. "And for hundreds of years before that I roamed this world as a beast, a slayer of men." His dark eyes flashed as he spoke. "Yet never have I met a man or monster capable of killing me."

He straightened, chuckling softly. "I might have found such a creature in this fiend…I must say, it's exhilarating."

Sir Integra's eyes blazed as she regarded her enforcer. "Alucard you are a servant of the Hellsing family and no matter your personal perversions or convictions, will not be allowed to die unless given a direct order, is this understood?" The corn silk haired woman pulled herself to her full height, barely meeting his chin.

With a grin the master vampire bowed deeply. "As you command, my Master. I only pray for your sake that if the time does come, it shall be your decision to make…" With a whisper of wind he faded into nothingness.

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><p>Seras Victoria pulled her coat collar up higher, trying to fend off the chill evening rain that covered London. She had received some additional information garnered by the Hellsing Organizations' research department concerning the symbols. They were absolutely used in summoning spells, but much more complex than any seen before.<p>

Most summoning symbols and magic circles were fairly simple and straightforward, consisting of a perimeter ring with incantations around it and a protective ward beyond that. The symbol found in the Telford house consisted of dozens of protective rings and several more summoning circles, the incantations around them overlapping and weaving through one another. It was determined that whatever was to be summoned in this circle was a powerful spirit, one that should have been properly contained, save one point in the symbol.

Another glossy photograph of the dark symbol was inside the folder she carried under her jacket, an enlargement of a small section of the outer ring. The protective ring, intended to support the additional rings within, passed over a small crack in the concrete floor, breaking the seal and rendering the entire symbol useless for containment.

For a moment as she regarded the picture, Seras felt sorry for the poor soul who took the time and effort to draw out such an intricate design, all that hard work for nothing.

_Well I suppose he DID bring a horrible monster into our world, and he got killed for it, but still..._ She shook her head continuing down the sparsely lit backstreet in Upper London. The dark storefronts on either side of her were starting to make her anxious and she started to wonder if this was a legitimate lead or not.

The research department had traced through a database of known practitioners of satanic and black magics, cross referencing for skill, experience and location. Surprisingly enough, finding an elderly woman who ran a holistic healing and crystal shop in Westminster. Raiqa VeldHren, born under the name of Rachel Horrace, lived in and operated the 'Ulmus Glabra' or 'Wytch Elm', purveying blessed crystals, love potions and dark grimoires to black-dressed outcasts with too much eye-makeup.

A gnarled tree-root hanging from a cast-iron sign marked the location of the shop. The front window was thick with grime and dust, completely obscuring the room within. _Probably not cleaned in a decade…_ Seras thought as she opened the heavy wooden door and walked into the shop.

The first thing that hit her was the smell. If you wanted someone to think your shop held wonderous, unearthly goods, you needed a particular ambiance to the place. However, Ms. VeldHren-Horrace apparently felt that choking a room in sage and patchouli incense was mystical enough.

Low watt bulbs barely lit intricately carved totems and finely bound leather books that lay on velvet covered shelves. Or at least that's what most people would see. Seras's keen eyes spotted low quality whittlings with mid-grade stains, naugahyde wrapped sketchbooks and bald velour over the wooden shelves. Making a face she poked a chrome and pot-metal thane, shocked by the £75.00 price tag.

"Really? For this?" She picked up the dagger, feeling how horribly off-balance it was and noting its hastily sharpened edge. She stuck her tongue out at the lengths some people would go to seem more 'magical'.

"Are you going to buy that?" A wizened voice came from behind her. With a yelp, Seras dropped the knife and turned around, seeing what must have been a person despite its resemblance to a walking pile of laundry.

The wrinkled face poking out of a mass of multi-colored shawls frowned deeply at her, regarding her with one good eye and one carved from some dark stone. "Now I shall have to attune that blade again, foolish girl…" The old woman shuffled forward, her draping robes slithering across the tiled floor. She picked up the blade, cradling it like a scared child in her hands, mumbling to herself as she walked back towards the raised counter at the rear of the shop.

"Erm, excuse me, Madam VeldHren?" Seras called after her, following the short, round woman to the counter and looking over it. With a grunt the dwarfish woman hopped up onto a stool behind the surface and reverently laid the dagger on a circle of felt.

"What is it you want, child?" Raiqa asked, her voice like smoke over hot coals. "If you want to buy something, let me know, otherwise be gone, I've work to do."

With a restrained sneer, Seras opened her coat and pulled out the folder. "I've come from the Hellsing Organization." She brandished the patch sewn to her uniform as proof. "We have a matter we would like to discuss with you."

The little old woman's face split into a toothless grin. "So…the children have stopped playing and wish to finally learn, eh?" She cackled softly, reaching a beringed hand for the folder. "Finally come across some REAL magic, hrrm?" She stopped as Seras placed her hand on the folder, holding it down.

"Yes, madam, and we would like your professional opinion on the matter. Mind you, this is classified information, perhaps we could speak somewhere a little more private?"

With a grunt, the old woman looked around the shop, empty save herself and Seras then frowned deeply. "I think this is as private as it gets, child. Nonetheless, if you insist…" She closed her eyes and traced a few gestures in the air, mumbling as she did so. As her chanting grew to a quiet crescendo, she clenched her fist suddenly and Seras heard the front door lock and the ghostly sound of chimes.

"Oh wow! That was amazing!" She cried, grinning madly. "I've never seen real magic before…or, well, I mean, not from a human. I guess…" She shrugged, smiling at the old woman then cleared her throat, taking on a more professional manner. "As I said, this is a delicate matter. Eight of our operatives were killed in the line of duty last night near Telford. We suspect the person responsible to be a summoner of no small skill, though his ritual went awry and the beast killed him and our men."

She opened the folder and spread out the photographs for the old woman to see, watching as the hag poured over them. "Sacrifice…yes…oh my…a being of flame I see…I…" She stopped, her hand trembling as she reached for the photo of the summoning circle.

With a terrified shriek Rachel-Raiqa slung the photos away and threw herself back from the counter, slamming into the shelves and alchemists desks against the back wall, mumbling protection spells. "Foul….demon…No!" Her remaining eye was wide with panic as she trembled against the furniture, sweat pouring down her face. "I cannot help you Hellsing-Dog! Begone from my sight and take your foul marks with you!"

The old woman moved with a speed Seras could not begin to have thought her possible of. She bolted from the room as Seres stood in front of the counter, too shocked by her reaction to move. "H-hey…wait!" She called, far too late. "Oh…Sir Integra is going to be upset…What can I do?" She wailed, pulling at her hair as the photographs drifted down around her.

"Well, judging from this photo the summoning incantation and protective wards appear to be written in ancient Sumatran, meaning this guy knew his stuff, whoever he is…" A calm, smooth voice came from behind a row of heavy wooden shelves. Seras jumped, pulling her side arm and aiming down the sights.

"W-who's there?" She called, training her pistol left to right.

"Put the gun away, little vampire…I'm no threat to you." The voice came again and a man stepped out from behind the shelves, holding one of the photographs, stooping to pick up another. He clicked his tongue, shaking his head.

"Sloppy work with that crack. Always quadruple check, that's my motto." He stood tall and slender, his auburn hair combed back from a high forehead and pulled into a tight ponytail that barely reached his shoulders. His clothes were somber, but casual, a well-fitted sports jacket, white button up shirt with the top two buttons undone and black slacks, looking like a business man about to relax after work.

"Who are you and what do you know about this kind of thing?" Seras asked, redoubling her grip on her pistol.

The man chuckled, shaking his head and putting his hands up. "I'm Yorick Helmschmit, grand summoner, seventh class, order of the white room." He bowed deeply and came up smirking. "And it looks like you've got a rogue Daemon to contend with."

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><p><em>Thanks to everyone for your awesome support and reviews! I hope you're enjoying the story and will let me know what you think about it so far. Keep reading and keep writing!<em>


	4. Old Churches Bear Dark Windows

Eldritch Rites

Chapter 4

**Old churches bear dark windows**

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><p><em>Her house sinks down to death,<br>And her course leads to the shades.  
>All who go to her cannot return<br>And find again the paths of life._

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><p>"A…A demon?" Seras asked, lowering her pistol.<p>

The auburn haired man nodded and strode forward with lazy, slow steps, his shoes making the barest of noise on the molded stone floor. "Aye, a Daemon."

Seras's ears perked at the strange pronunciation. "So…is that different from a demon?" She asked curiously, a confused expression on her face.

A vein in Yorick's temple throbbed as he sighed loudly and closed his eyes, nodding. "Yes, a Daemon is different from a demon. Demons are imaginary creatures thought up to spook little children into behaving properly and do their chores." He pinched the bridge of his nose and continued before Seras could interrupt. "A DAEMON, however, is a planar being of immense power that can be summoned into this realm by a skilled practitioner."

The vampire girl stood to one side, poking her fingers together. "But…wait, so demons aren't real, but dAemons are?" She tilted her head to the side some, making a face. Yorick tensed, gritting his teeth for a moment, then took a deep breath and sighed out, calming himself.

"Yes, exactly." He nodded and looked at the photographs. "And from the looks of it a rather powerful one at that. I don't think I've ever seen such a complex summoning circle." His finger idly traced the black lines of the photograph, muttering to himself.

Seras stood there, rocking on her heels for a minute or two as he examined the photographs, then blew her bangs out of her eyes and cleared her throat. He turned his head slightly in her direction, his eyes never leaving the photographs. "Hmm?"

"Um, perhaps we could ask Madam VelHren to come down and cast the unlock charm so we can leave?" Her eyes grew bright then, clasping her hands in front of herself. "Unless you can do magic too? Can you break her seal?"

Yorick looked oddly at her for a moment, then threw his head back with laughter, filling the dusty shop with the surprisingly golden sound. As his amusement faded he let his laughter fade to a chuckle, wiping his eyes. Seras pursed her lips, looking highly annoyed. "What exactly is so funny?"

"That old hag wouldn't know a love spell from lingam gnosis." He walked towards the raised counter and leaned down, squeezing his tall frame into the small space and reaching underneath the surface to flip the hidden switch. There was a chiming of bells and the front door locks slid open.

Seras's mouth dropped open in shock and disappointment. "Y-you mean it wasn't real? B-but it seemed so…?" She let her head droop, her arms slack at her sides. "But I thought magic did exist…can humans just not do it?"

Yorick smirked and snapped his fingers, the entire shop bursting into flames in a rush of heat and smoke. Seras cried out and tried to stay away from the blistering feathers of orange and red, feeling her hair begin to blacken. She shut her eyes and cried out again, curling in on herself as she felt her skin begin to peel and crackle.

* * *

><p>Seras opened her eyes, looking around. The shop no longer flickered with the deadly light of an inferno and her hair was fine, her skin smooth and untouched. "What…what happened?" Yorick offered his hand to her, smiling softly.<p>

"You seemed to want a demonstration. A simple illusion, nothing more, but magic nonetheless." He lifted her to her feet with ease, leaning in and kissing the back of her hand. "I apologize for any discomfort." She slanted her eyes to him, but accepted his apology and nodded slowly.

"It's fine…but I've got to ask, if she didn't do magic, what are you doing here?" She turned towards the door and walked to it, pushing it open for him. He gestured for her to lead the way and placed his large hand flat against the old oak, holding it for her.

"A fake she might be, but this is the only place in the city where you can get real stygian lotus." He brandished a bag of curled black leaves, shaking it slightly. He waved a hand at the sign outside. "'Wytch Elm'? Honestly?" He scoffed, shaking his head. "It's as if she's advertising how fake she is." He gave a little shrug as he followed her down the road towards Hellsing Manor.

"But you're the real deal, huh?" Seras asked, looking back at him. "You understand what we're dealing with here?" She heard him stop and paused, turning around to look back at him. He stood about half a dozen paces behind her, a disapproving expression on his long, slender face.

"Do you require another demonstration?" He asked, moving his hand in a slow circle as he stepped forward and placed the palm of his hand on her shoulder. "Where is the Hellsing Manor located?" He intoned, an odd cadence to his voice. She opened her mouth to reply, but felt a spark light in her head, making her arch her back as a circle of light formed under their feet, runes spreading along its inner rim with a soft crackling sound.

She felt her stomach lurch and groaned slightly, her head spinning. As her eyes focused she saw the brick and worked iron fencing of the Hellsing estate border. She stumbled back, her eyes wide. "What? H-how did we get here?" Yorick smiled warmly and tilted his head.

"I summoned us to the location I saw in your head. Summoning is really just the transference of energy and matter through space and time without disrupting the natural balance of the place of transfer and ensuring the gateway of return has been properly closed." He said with practiced ease. He left Seras standing fixed to the spot with confusion and proceeded towards the guarded entrance. "Shall we go? I don't think they'll let me in alone." He called back, snapping her out of her stupefied daze.

"Oh! Right, yeah…" She trotted to catch up with him, flashing her admittance badge to the guards ahead. "Seras Victoria, escorting Yorick Helmschmit to see Sir Integra." The guards looked the new arrival up and down, then nodded and moved to the side of the gate, unlocking it and pulling it open to allow the two through.

* * *

><p>Sir Integra Hellsing sat at her desk, reading over the research divisions report of the cottage remains. Most of its contents had been immolated completely by the initial blast, but some had been thrown free of the flames to be scattered across the countryside. A sweeper team collected everything they could and restored as much as possible.<p>

Sitting before her was a piecemeal diary of the vampire who inhabited the cottage. It spoke of his life before being turned, of his reading about dark magics and the prophesies of Nostradamus. He studied the ancient grimoires of Rasputin and had memorized the works of Alister Crowley. The journal was steeped in ancient evils and spoke of his experiments with summoning.

The document noted his first success two years previous, having summoned a wisp, the formless spirit of those long dead, into existence for a few minutes. The success only fueled his desire for more power and greater tests of his abilities. His writings spoke of imps, homonunculi, dretches, barbed demons, succubi and even as far as powerful daemons and spirits like effrits and balors, his skills developing at an alarming rate.

As the writings progressed he described the feeling of summoning these creatures as more of a command, an irresistible demand for his abilities. Some of the pages lined with apologetic text even bore small, round tear stains as he wrote about killing the young women for their blood, not even to feed but for the power their deaths would add to his summons.

Sir Integra was loathe to even touch such an unwholesome document, and resorted to turning the pages with her pen, a disgusted sneer across her face. _What a monster…he feels bad for his actions and yet he continues, even expressing his delight at the results of such horrid endeavors._ She turned in her chair, having read enough. She let out a sigh and lifted a clipped panatela to her lips, realizing her hand was shaking as she lit it. _Perhaps…this has affected me more than I thought._

A knock at the door to her office gave her pause, the thin cigar dangling from her lips and smoldering. "Enter." She said, a thin puff of smoke escaping her lips as the rest curled from the tip to settle lazily against the ceiling. The massive double doors opened to reveal Walter, smiling smugly as he bowed.

"Sir Integra, allow me to permit Miss Seras Victoria and introduce her guest, Master Yorick Helmschmit." He moved out of the way and spread his arms, the busty young vampire and her lanky companion entering the room.

"Seras…" Sir Integra began, her tone sneering for her despite her serious expression. "This does not appear to be an eighty-seven year old woman. Please explain yourself."

Seras let out a chuckle, scratching the back of her head. "Well, you see, the thing is…" She stopped as Yorick stepped forward, bowing deeply at the waist.

"Good morrow, Sir Integra Wingates Fairbrook Hellsing, master of and singular heir to the Hellsing family. Allow me to introduce myself." He straightened, smiling slyly at the cornsilk haired woman before him and spread his arms wide. "I am Yorick Helmschmit, grand summoner seventh class, Order of the White Room." He stood, his hand to his breast. "It is an absolute pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Sir Integra eyed the man, then disregarded him completely, turning her attention to Seras. "What is this man doing here?" She asked, much to his dismay.

"I met him while I was at Madam VeldHren's shop." She let out a sigh, awaiting the dressing down she was about to receive. "I'm afraid she was unwilling to assist us in tracking the monster." She stood up straighter, throwing a salute to Sir Integra. "Mister Helmschmit displayed impressive knowledge of the demons…erm, Daemons origin from the photographs we had provided."

Sir Integra's eyebrows rose as she heard the word Daemon and regarded Yorick for a moment before forrowing her brow and eyeing Seras harshly. "You intend to tell me you provided confidential information to an unclassified man based on his assumptions?" Seras winced at her harsh tone, then nodded meekly.

"Yes Sir." She paused, clearing her throat. "Unclassified or not, I've personally seen that his abilities are quite impressive, and he does appear to have extensive knowledge in this field." She paused again, smirking wryly. "Madam VeldHren shrieked and threw the photographs when I showed them to her, yet Mister Helmschmit understood the situation at a glance."

"Indeed…" Sir integra leaned back and drummed her fingers on the desk before her, holding her chin with her other hand. "Mister…Yorick, was it?" She sighed, quirking an eyebrow. "What can you tell us about our creature?"

He cleared his throat and pulled out the photographs that he had collected. "Sir Integra, from these photos I can tell you that the creature your face is a Daemon, a spirit of immense power if these limiting and restraint sigils are any evidence." He pointed out specific symbols on the photograph, tracing the lines with his fingertip. "And the summoning rites and restraints around the inner ring are in and ancient form of Sumatran, one of the most powerful summoning languages."

He stood back and blew out, shaking his head. "But to be perfectly honest this is one of the most complex summoning circles I've ever seen. The most restraining wards I've ever seen used for summoning is seven, while this one…" He slid the photograph across the smooth desktop and turned it so she could see the encircled sigils. "This one has more than three dozen." He shook his head.

"It seems completely unnecessary, unless the summoner was not confident in his abilities...and judging from the complexity of the circle I doubt that would be the case." He stood back and ran a hand over his chin. "It's highly likely that the spirit summoned was of a high enough caliber to warrant such precautions…but I've never encountered anything like this."

Sir Integra steepled her fingers, observing the man over them and let out a slow sigh. "Perhaps…I'm afraid we are not intimately familiar with the art of summoning…." She tapped the photograph with a long finger and quirked an eyebrow at the man. "Is it possible to discern the location of a creature such as this by using the circle it was originally summoned in?"

Yorick scoffed, nodding. "Of course, madam…" He caught her stern glare and chuckled softly. "_Sir_ Integra, the energy left at a point of summoning is like a beacon. If I can get to where this is, I can find your Daemon." He stood up straight, smirking and crossing his arms over his chest. "The real question is…do you really want to find something this dangerous?"

"Oh…yes…" A smooth, icy voice echoed out of the shadows in the corners of the room. The inky blackness of the corners flowed together into Yoricks shadow to billow up into the lanky form of Alucard. The excessively tall vampire let his hands come to rest on Yoricks shoulders, grinning dangerously. "I would love for you to find this creature, this Daemon for me."

Yorick stiffened at his touch, but calmed himself as quickly as he could manage. "A-Ah, you must be the famous Alucard..." He stepped away and brushed his shoulders off as politely as he could, smiling awkwardly. "I was wondering when we might expect your arrival." He offered his hand and cleared his throat. "I am Yorick Helmschmit, grand summoner seventh class, Order of the…"

"Can this boy do as he says?" The master vampire interrupted him, leaving the lanky young man to pause with his mouth open, a hand in the air and a disappointed look on his face. Alucard turned to regard Seras with a toothy smirk. "What say you, Police Girl?"

Seras made a face at her pet-name, then squared her shoulders and stood tall. "He does exhibit a small array of powers, like illusions, and he summoned us from outside the shop to the manor gates…"

Sir Integra's eyebrows rose. "Translocation? Interesting." She turned her gaze back to the man who still stood with his mouth open and his hands spread in a self-important gesture. "Mister Helmschmit, perhaps you could investigate the site of the incident under the supervision of Seras Victoria and Alucard."

She turned in her chair, looking out the large windows behind her that opened onto the groomed grounds of the Hellsing Manor. "We will provide transportation and compensation for your time and efforts." She waved a hand dismissively over her shoulder to the group. "I expect a full report upon your return."

Yorick shook his head, finally regaining his composure. "Transportation will not be necessary, Sir Integra, and if you would prefer, I can give you a report immediately."

The regal woman turned swiftly in her chair. "How do you mean?" She asked as the auburn haired man smirked knowingly. "What additional information can you have at this time?"

He ran a hand through his hair, chuckling softly. "I intend to give you a report directly from the site if you are willing." He turned his hands in a wide circle, causing a ring of slivery light to form beneath him, crackling softly as it traced along the carpeted floor and making shadows jump up oddly against his face.

"The site of the incident is over two hundred kilometers from this facility." Sir Integra said coldly and arched an eyebrow at the young summoner as the arcane light danced over her office. "Can you truly travel such a distance?"

With a grin Yorick's eyes flashed for a moment, the circle of light doubling and tripling over itself as it expanded, shining runes tracing themselves along the inner edges of the three-circle diagram with a sizzle of energy. "It will be a longer trip than the jump from northern London." His eyes grew serious as he turned his hands palm up, his fingers curling like cages as he nodded for the three to join him in the circle of light. "I would recommend that you do not open your eyes…"

Alucard let out a chuckle and faded into the shadows as Seras and Sir Integra stepped into the circle of light, each putting a hand on one of his arms. "Remember…you don't want to see this…" He growled, an unearthly cadence to his voice as the light beneath them grew to a blinding level and the two women felt the Earth lurch under their feet.

* * *

><p>The lurching feeling fled as quickly as it came, but a heat surrounded her and Seras felt her ears popping as she held her eyes tightly closed, an odd throbbing sensation filling her head. <em>We're not there yet…I shouldn't…he said…<em> Her curiosity grew as she felt herself swaying gently against her will. _Just a little…_ She cracked one of her eyes open, then stifled a gasp as her heart began to pound and her eyelids shot open wide.

The three still stood in the circle of light, but Sir Integra's office was gone, and all around them pink and red flesh surrounded them, closing in like a sphere. The flesh pulsed and throbbed as thick black veins pumped ichor from some unseen heart. She swallowed hard and felt herself begin to shiver as she saw that the flesh was not a single organism, but appeared to be made from hundreds of bodies, humans, animals, even odd forms that hurt her eyes to look at.

The more she watched the more she felt her panic grow, squeezing Yorick's arm tighter, bruising him with her strength as the conjoined bodies moved around their bubble of space. A hand from some deeply buried person flexed and tried to reach for her, but was held back as it was attached to the head of some farm animal, its mouth open to admit a pulsing vein that exited out through its side to crawl across the flesh again before disappearing. She put a hand to her mouth to stifle a scream as the flesh split and swirled forming a bulging eye that rotated to look at her, its enormous pupil dilating as it focused on her.

"I told you…" Yoirick intoned, his face split in a wild grin. "…Not to look." He turned to look at her, his eyes glazed over with a silvery sheen. He opened his mouth, his tongue rolling over his teeth as he closed his caged fingers into a tight fist. "End of the line…"

* * *

><p>A rush of cold air washed over them as the bubble of flesh burst, depositing them a few hundred meters from the blackened skeleton that used to be the cottage. Seras dropped to her knees, retching and coughing as the circle of light disappeared.<p>

Sir Integra put a hand to her forehead, opening her eyes and groaning softly. "That was most unpleasant. I will call a pick-up for our return trip."

Yorick stretched and let out a sigh, cracking his neck. "If that is your preference." He smiled and looked over at Seras, offering the young vampire a hand as she wiped her mouth. "I did tell you, did I not?" He helped her stand and brushed off his jacket, snapping it straight and walking slowly towards the cottage.

Seras ran her tongue around her mouth and spat, the taste of bile and old blood still clinging to the insides of her cheeks. Her arms and legs felt like noodles as she tried to put forward a serious stance. "Yes, you did…I'll be returning with Sir Integra if it's all the same." Yorick chuckled and shrugged as he walked.

"As you wish…" He closed his eyes and spread his hands, his face wrinkling some in concentration. "The power here is incredible…I haven't ever felt something so strong at such a distance from the site of summoning." He walked closer as if drawn towards the epicenter by some invisible source. His face tightened further, making him grit his teeth. "Whatever this is…By the Gods above and below us…"

The young summoner stumbled and caught himself as he shook his head, opening his eyes. Seras dashed to his side, only to be held back by his outstretched hand. "I-I'm alright." He sighed, panting softly. "I just got a little too deep is all." He stood and let out a groan, rubbing his eyes. "What we're dealing with here is out of my experience. I think I might be in over my head here…"

Sir Integra made a face, crossing her arms. "Perhaps it was a mistake to bring you here. Can you track this beast or not?" She tapped her foot impatiently as Yorick made a dismissive gesture.

"With a signal like this, I could find it from halfway across the world." He chuckled, shaking his head. "But such a powerful spirit…I didn't think it was possible." He drew a sigil in the air with a finger, the lines shimmering in the air for a moment before disappearing.

He smirked as he held out his hand, a brief flicker of light shining in his palm before expanding into a small sphere of light. Squinting against the glare, Seras watched as the light slowly faded, leaving a smooth, round stone in his palm a little bigger than a marble. The stone was black as night and didn't seem to reflect light at all almost seeming to be a hole in space.

"What is that?" She asked as she walked closer, watching him roll the ball back and forth across his hand before closing his fingers around it.

"Think of it as a piece of the Daemon's energy, a scrap of cloth for your loyal bloodhound." He grinned, bowing playfully to the young vampire before standing up straight, his face serious. "With this I can follow the Daemon's scent so to speak." He closed his eyes again and flexed his hand, holding the gemstone tighter.

He let out a gasp and clenched his teeth, his eyebrows furrowing as he started to tremble. Seras watched, walking closer to him. "Yorick…what's the matter?" She asked, then gasped, seeing blood welling from between his closed fingers. With a short cry he grasped his wrist with his free hand, a vein in his temple swelling and throbbing as sweat streamed down his face. Thick and black in the evening light, blood began dripping down from the back of his hand, and he hissed and opened his mouth in a silent cry as the small black ball dropped to the ground.

He stood there panting and sweating as the ebony sphere rolled to a stop in the grass, slowly unfolding his hand to see a hole burned right through to the other side. "D-damn, I-I'm sorry…" He panted, stumbling back as the sphere began spinning in the small pool of his blood that had dribbled onto the grass.

Seras caught him as he fell backwards, placing herself between the hissing ball of darkness and her Mistress. "S-sir Integra, stand back…" She said as she drew her pistol with her spare hand. The regal woman stepped back, hand on the hilt of her sword. The ball spun and spat as Yorick's steaming blood pulled from the blades of grass around it to splash against its lightless surface.

The gemstone began to lift from the ground, supported on columns of boiling blood that spread out and slowly began to expand, forming a humanoid shape. Trembling and biting her lower lip, Seras tried to calm her shaking hand and draw a bead on the horrifying shape before her.

With a hiss of ozone and a mirage-like ripple in the evening air, the form consolidated, pulling into a slender feminine form. The dark blood that covered it seemed to seep inward, revealing a sickly blue-skinned woman, standing nude in the chill breeze of the Telford countryside. 'Her' sharply pointed tongue traced over her thin lips, splotched with black and purple and shining with saliva. She took a deep breath, her small breasts rising and falling in the fading light.

The creature turned to look at the three, bottomless ebony eyes focusing on them. It's face could have been beautiful, slender and dainty if not for the too too large mouth that split it from ear to ear, the lank black hair that fell in a silky wave from the middle of its head, leaving half of its scalp smooth and bare. It slowly smiled and exposed row upon row of needle-like teeth, jerking forward suddenly with a joyful shriek towards the vampire and her master.

Seras took a deep breath and squeezed her trigger, the echo of her shot rebounding between the trees around the ruined cottage. The newly formed being crumpled and fell backwards as the vampire and master watched, both breathing a sigh of relief as Seras let her gun drop to her side.

"It should be fine now, Sir Integra." She said as she slowly let Yorick lie down on the ground, looking at his hand. She winced as she examined the wound, perfectly round and piercing all the way through, leaving his raw flesh and white bone visible in the receding light.

"N-no…don't…" Yorick managed to groan as he held his wrist, the fingers of his ruined hand twitching. "Don't be so h-hasty…" He grunted, looking over where the crumpled Daemon lay.

Seras stood up and walked over to the fallen form, seeing a neat hole directly between its closed eyes, a thick ichor dribbling down its face. "I shouldn't think it's any danger now, Yorick." She said, leaning down and looking closer at it. "It's… AUGH!"

She cried out, her face contorting in pain as a slender blue arm shot up, piercing her right shoulder to protrude out of her back, dripping with her crimson blood. The fallen fiend's eyes shot open, black and deep as pits as it smiled slowly. It's eyes pinched in amusement as it leaned in and flicked its long, mottled purple tongue along its upper arm to lap up Seras's dripping blood, its eyelids flickering in pleasure.

Suddenly the Daemon's face contorted in rage, pushing the young vampire off of its arm with a wet slurping sound, launching Seras several meters from its body as it stood in an easy, fluid motion. Seras landed with a heavy thud and rolled to a stop, groaning as her flesh began to buckle, slowly flowing back together, her eyes flashing crimson. "Bastard…!"

The fiend rolled its shoulders and opened its mouth inhumanly wide, the entire lower half of its face dropping open to reveal several rows of serrated teeth and issuing a warbled hiss as its tongue rolled around in its mouth like a wounded snake. It closed its mouth, purring softly as it turned and tilted its head, regarding Sir Integra with obvious interest, flexing its taloned hands as the Hellsing heir drew her saber, a serious expression on her face. The Daemon's eyes widened and it licked its lips again and its nipples hardened in apparent excitement.

"How rude to look at my master in such a way…" Alucard's voice came silkily from the shadows, his dark from rising up behind the monster and closing his gloved hands around its wrists, pulling sharply with a crunch of bone and sinew to hold its arms behind its back.

His face slowly slid out of the shadows to grin at the Daemon, his eyes wild. "Finally we meet, I was expecting a bit more of a challenge from something of your apparent caliber…" He let his tongue loll out as he gave a final tug on the restrained beasts' arms, issuing a pair of sharp wet pops from its shoulders.

The fiend howled as its arms were torn backwards, pulled loose from their sockets, bulging out awkwardly. Alucard stepped back, letting go to let the blue-skinned Daemon's arms hand slackly at its sides as it turned and snarled at him. He grinned in pleasure as the fiends arms pulled back into the hollows in its shoulders with a sickening crunch.

"Fabulous! I couldn't have found any enjoyment if you were beaten so easily…" He reached into his long jacket, slipping forth the blackened steel of the Jackal from his jacket to point the several pounds of handgun at the beast, squeezing the trigger.

The shot echoed out over the countryside like the arrival of God himself. Grinning from under his wide-brimmed hat Alucard clicked his tongue in disapproval. "Such a shame, really…I had hoped for more." He tilted his head and regarded the swaying body of the Daemon before him and watching ichor lazily ooze from its very abruptly ended neck.

His eyes widened slightly and he let out a chuckle as he watched the black ooze flow upwards, bulging out and lightening as it regenerated its severed head, opening that terrible mouth to utter ancient curses that darkened the very air around it. "So you are more powerful than that…Police Girl!" He hollered, his teeth flashing in the dusk.

"I-I'm fine, Master…" She called, rolling her shoulder and testing the newly formed flesh with her fingertips. "Damn…" She gritted her teeth and picked up her dropped pistol brought it to bear on the advancing Daemon. Her crimson eyes flared and stepped slowly in a circle, moving again between the beast and Sir Integra, her eyebrows furrowed. _How can we stop this thing? _

Alucard smirked and holstered his gun, seeing that it would do him no good in this fight. "Sir Integra?" He asked, his smile shining through the darkness. The stoic woman nodded and stepped slowly back as her vampire servant grinned deeper. "Relinquishing arts control to level two…" He intoned and threw his head back, letting out a laugh as he faded into the night, becoming one with the shadows around him.

The Daemon grinned, turning back to gaze longingly at the virginal master of this plaything, inhaling deeply through her slitted nostrils and fluttering its eyelids in anticipation. With astounding speed it was on Seras then, taloned fingers digging into her shoulders and lifting her almost effortlessly as she cried out in pain.

The vampire gritted her teeth and brought her pistol forward, unloading her clip into the beasts face, making it jerk and twitch as blue skin and meat and bone flew in a terrible spray, only to flow back together like oil over water. The bottomless eyes pinched with amusement under the lock of greasy black hair as it flexed its too-long arms and forced its fingers completely through Seras's shoulders.

With her muscles torn to shreds, her arms hung useless at her sides, but Seras grinned and issued a low growl as her right arm began to shift into shadows, vermillion eyes opening against the blackness. She opened her mouth wide and let out a snarl as her shadow formed into a cloud of spikes and burst outwards, piercing the blue skinned Daemon in dozens of places.

The fiend lurched, working its mouth and then choking up a throat-full of blood, snarling as it flashed an intimidating row of teeth at the young vampire. Seras bared her teeth back, concentrating and making her razor-edged tendrils sprout barbed spines, digging deeper into the beasts body, laughing as she twisted the serrated shards of darkness in the inky flesh.

The blue skinned fiend shuddered and loosened its grip on Seras, then sneered at her and wrenched its arms apart, tearing the young vampires arms free of her torso. Seras shrieked in pain, her mind ablaze with agony as her shadows receded, slipping slowly free of the beast as she fell backwards.

"Seras!" Alucard's voice boomed through the clearing as he rose up through the shadows and wrapped his own eye-laden blades in and through the fiend. He opened his mouth and pierced its neck with his inch long canines, drinking deeply as a look akin to ecstasy washed over its face. Alucard choked on the dark, inky ichor that flooded his mouth, his eyes growing wide.

* * *

><p>Alucard found himself in a column of sunlight, standing in a sweltering, overgrown jungle. He blinked in the sudden light, adjusting his signature shades as he looked around, his shadow winding slowly back into himself. He began walking through the thick foliage, peering around the wide, ivy wrapped trees, breathing deeply of the humid, clean air.<p>

He pushed pas a pair of huge ferns, opening into a wide clearing, seeing a young, nude woman crouched by a stream nearby. He stepped into the mossy patch of open land, his boots crunching softly through the green surface. The woman looked up sharply, her long, dark hair hanging over her face as she regarded him with a mixture of interest and fear.

Alucard stepped back, raising a hand and watching the woman closely. She stood and put a hand to her chest, crying out in an alien tongue that seemed to ring around his ears like a silvered bell. He shook his head, trying to clear the beautiful ringing from his ears as a nude man stepped out from the shrubbery, his face serious as he held the woman, staring at Alucard.

The nude man shouted something in the same alien tongue, gesturing for the vampire to leave, moving to position himself in front of the woman. Alucard backed slowly away, his hands up. He turned and walked into the thick forest, pushing his way through the leaves and shrubbery, forcing himself deeper into the jungle. Before long he pushed through into another clearing, gazing up through the glaring sunlight at a massive tree, seeing spheres of red hanging from the distant branches.

* * *

><p>In a rush of light and pain, Alucard found himself still clinging to the Daemon, his mouth on fire as the thick, inky ooze dribbled from his lips. He wrenched himself free, choking out the cloying filth and shoving back from the fiend. The blue skinned monster rounded on him, the ragged holes in her form flowing closed as it regenerated. She opened her mouth, strings of steaming saliva hanging from her jaws to drip and fall down her chin.<p>

Rearing back, she lashed out with her taloned hands, only to have the razor-edged claws skitter across an invisible wall, making her eyes grow wide. Flying into a rage it attacked the invisible wall, screeching uncontrollably as light began to grow from underneath it, becoming a blinding glare as a containment circle spiraled into shimmering silver beneath it.

With an unearthly wail, the fiend began to slowly melt, boiling and sucking inwards, its flesh stripping free from its dark bones as it shrieked its rage. The last vestiges of its primal cry died out over the rolling hills as it compressed into a tiny black sphere, settling into the soft grass within the brilliant circle.

Yorick lay, panting, off to one side, his good hand still raised in the summoning gesture, sweat dripping down his face. "I-is everyone alright?" He asked, slowly rising to his knees with a groan. Alucard rose up, spitting black crud from his mouth, wiping it with the back of his hand in disgust.

"I am more or less unharmed…" He spoke with a cold glare at the ebony gemstone. "…Police Girl?" He asked, looking over to where she lie, watching as she grunted and bared her teeth, her flesh slowly knitting back together as her crimson eyes flashed.

"I…I'll be fine…Just-just give me a moment." She gasped, gritting her teeth as muscle and sinew interwove, meeting and becoming whole with a twisting crunch, leaving her to fall back panting onto the wet grass.

With a grunt, she pushed herself up onto her hands and moved to a weak-kneed crouch before standing awkwardly, her head still spinning from the horrible pain. "So…what was that?" She asked, rolling her shoulders and trying to loosen the new flesh of her arms. "Where did it go?"

Yorick panted, wrapping a handkerchief around his wounded hand and tying it with his teeth. "That…was an Avatar of the true beast we face…but a fraction of its power that somehow was drawn out by…" He sighed, hanging his head. "By me. I was trying to trace its location and it traced me instead. It sent that to us, and from what I see, damn near killed us."

He sighed, taking out a rune-marked cloth and wrapping the dark stone in it, tying it closed with a string of jade rosary beads. "I am truly sorry, I've never had this happen before." He shook his head, his eyes wide. "I've never seen such a creature…I'm sorry, but I cannot track this for you, my skills are not great enough."

Sir Integra sheathed her sword, forcing herself to remain still. "If you cannot, who can?" She asked, crossing her arms and regarding the summoner.

He shook his head again, looking over at the regal woman. "I do not know of anyone who I can say for sure could find the location of this fiend for you…but I know of one who might." He slipped the closed cloth into his coat pocket and stood up straight. "Terimille D'Santes, the Master of the Order of the White Room." He let out a shaking breath and swallowed hard. "And after this, I would think even that to be a stretch."

Alucard stood by, still trying to leech the foul tasting ichor from his mouth, recalling the scene he witnessed within the Daemons blood. Who were these people, and why did their presence unnerve him so? His blood boiled as he fought within his own mind to see them clearer, but found himself unable to visualize them with any true clarity. Shaking the thought away he stepped closer to his Master, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"Sir Integra, are you alright?" He asked, smiling warmly as she nodded.

"However," She began, pulling a serious face at her servant. "When you face this beast again, I will expect you to hold nothing back. I do not see how this creature, this Daemon can do what it has, but I will not take any further chances." She turned and flipped open her cellular phone, making a call. "You will not fail me, Alucard."

"No…" He grinned toothily in the dark night as he looked up at the waning moon. "I will not."


End file.
